Escape
by Crazy4NCIS
Summary: Harry and the Marauders plan to escape. Set in the summer after Forth year. ONE SHOT. Please Read A/N.


**A/N: This story is a ONE SHOT. This is my first Harry Potter story so please be gentle. This type of story has been done before but I wanted to do my own take on it.**

**This story is unbeta'd. Constructive criticism is welcome but rude, nasty or vulgar reviews will not be tolerated.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter franchise, J.K. Rowling does. I'm just borrowing it.**

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Ever since he stepped his feet back into the magical world, Harry Potter had been bombarded by people's expectations of him. Some folks saw him as the 'Boy-Who-Lived,' others saw him as the spawn of evil. Some wanted him to be like his parents, the list goes on and on.

Only a select few knew the real Harry. He was more than happy with that. The rest could take a flying jump for all he cared.

Those expectations kept being built up and been ripped away by amongst other things The Daily Prophet and the Ministry. Now in the summer before 4th year Harry has had enough. Speaking with the two remaining Marauders (the traitor doesn't count), Harry hatched a plan to release expectations and to make life easier for himself.

It was easy really. He could be his own man if he wasn't in England. He and the Marauders hatched a simple yet complicated plan. During the Quidditch World Cup, Harry, Remus and Sirius would disappear.

With aid provided by the Goblins, all arrangements had been set. Sometime during the first half hour Harry, Remus and Sirius would excuse themselves to go to the bathroom. A mild confusion charm on the doors of the bathroom would prevent anyone else from entering. From there it was a portkey to Gringotts then another portkey to the airport followed by doing everything else the muggle way.

They were banking on everyone being distracted by the World Cup to notice they were no longer in the country.

Even though Sirius was a fugitive the Goblins had no problems making all the arrangements for a fee including relocating their vaults to their new country of residence, Australia.

Harry felt bad about leaving his friends and their families behind but he needed to get away. He left letters with the Goblins to be given to his friends and their families after he had been gone for a week. He wanted to give them time to calm down before explaining his reasons for leaving. In most letters he left instructions on how to contact him providing they didn't tell anyone where he went. If they did the penalty would be severe.

After arriving the day before the Quidditch World Cup everyone woke the morning of the match in good spirits including Harry. He knew that at this time tomorrow he would be on his way to Australia.

Harry, Remus and Sirius, who was under glamour charm, had to force themselves to remain calm or they would have given the game away.

They had all the things they wanted to take with them stored in trucks that were shrunk down and attached to a chain on them so they wouldn't lose them. It was much easier than having to go back to the tents to pick stuff up. All the stuff that was left in the tents was things that they could live without or that weren't very important. Dudley's hand me down clothes and old text books for example.

At about a half an hour into the game Harry, Remus and Sirius excuse themselves and made their way to the toilets. After a quick confusion charm cast by Remus they gripped a length of rope being held by Sirius and he spoke the word "Freedom." As soon as the portkey activated the confusion charm dropped from the door. No one noticed anything different.

The portkey dropped Harry, Remus and Sirius into a portkey designated area in Gringotts. The Goblin that had helped them set this entire thing up was waiting for them with another portkey and a pouch of documents.

This portkey was to Heathrow Airport. In order to make it harder for wizards to track them they decided to travel to Australia the muggle way.

Harry bowed slightly to the Goblin. "Thank you for all your help over the past few weeks."

"It was my pleasure." the Goblin bowed back. He continued "All vaults have been relocated to Australia, all relevant muggle documents have been created and are in the pouch, they are no different than normal muggle documents and muggle records back them up." Since Harry was the most familiar with the muggle world he took the pouch and opened it. Inside were passports, plane tickets, visas, birth certificates and all other documents need for a new life in Australia for all three of them. "The pouch also contains some Australian Dollars and Gallons in case you wish to buy something when you arrive."

"Your owl has also been transported to the cargo hold of the plane and all the documents related to her have been included in the pouch."

"Thank you." said Harry reverently. He thought he may have to leave Hedwig in England but the Goblins managed to set it up so she could go too.

The Goblin turned to Sirius. "As soon as you arrive in Australia go to Gringotts in Sydney. They can help you with your quest to become a free man. Unfortunately here in England our hands are tied by the Ministry, not so in Australia."

"Thank you." replied Sirius

"It is now time for you to go." The Goblin handed the portkey to Remus. "Your flight is in one hour, we have already cleared customs for you."

Harry, Remus and Sirius thank the Goblin yet again and gripped the portkey.

"You're Welcome again, goodbye and good luck in your new life." He paused for a millisecond and stated, "Planes." The portkey activated.

Due to the likely panic caused by Harry going missing, Remus and Sirius realised that the Ministry and Dumbledore would try to trace any portkeys activated within the half hour of Harry disappearing. They decided they would use Goblin portkeys. No one in the Ministry would want to ask Goblins about them. Besides that, Goblins were notoriously private about their clients business anyway and they didn't want another Goblin war on their hands.

An hour later Harry, Remus and Sirius, still under a glamour, took off for Australia leaving panic in their wake.

It took Hermione ten minutes to realise that Harry, Remus and Sirius weren't back from the bathroom. She looked at Mr. Weasley in concern. "Mr. Weasley, Harry, Remus and Padfoot aren't back yet."

The resulting panic and the following search were as violent and chaotic as Remus and Sirius predicted.

* * *

After Hermione read her letter it took her less than a day to convince her parents to go and live in Australia. There was no way in hell that Harry was leaving Hermione alone again for a very long time.

As for Ron. After having a temper tantrum for about three days his rationale side kicked in. (Yes, he does have one.) He realised why Harry left and didn't begrudge him that. He remained in contact with Harry and Hermione for the rest of his life including trips to Australia, one to be their best man.

In Oz Harry, Remus and Sirius lived as happily as they could ever be.

Sirius was declared innocent and all charges were dropped when he gave veritaserum evidence and Harry gave pensieve memories in a trial in front of the Australian Magical Ministry and Representatives of the International Confederation of Wizards. Unsurprisingly the British Representative was not invited to the trial.

Remus actually found a steady job and a steady girlfriend. Five months after leaving England, Nymphadora Tonks arrived on their doorstep and tore strips off all three men for leaving her behind. Remus and Tonks lived one street over from Harry and Sirius.

As for Harry, he enrolled in school and found a girlfriend. It didn't take Hermione long to realise that she loved Harry. So as soon as she set foot in Australia she claimed Harry for herself. Harry didn't seem to mind in the least. They stayed together for the rest of their lives and had four children, two boys and two girls.

Everyone living in Australia never set foot back in England after they left.


End file.
